St. Vincent de Paul Society

The St. Vincent de Paul Society is an international organization whose credo is “No work of charity is foreign to the Society.” At St. Thomas More Church, the St. Vincent de Paul conference comprises a group of volunteer parishioners who work to assist individuals and families in need. Using funds made available primarily through poor-box offerings, the men and women of the St. Vincent de Paul Society provide food, clothing, and other personal needs, as well as financial assistance and guidance, to those who have fallen on hard times. The Society does its work discreetly and confidentially.

If you are in need of assistance, call the St. Thomas More rectory at 508-673-7831 for a referral.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY MINISTRY WRITE-UP

At St. Thomas More Church, the St. Vincent de Paul conference comprises a group of volunteer parishioners who work to assist individuals and families in need. Using funds made available primarily from the church’s poor-box offerings, the men and women of the St. Vincent de Paul Society provide food, clothing, and other personal needs, as well as financial assistance and guidance, to those who have fallen on hard times.

Members visit with prospective clients to assess (and confirm the legitimacy of) their needs. An in-person interview gathers basic information about the particular situation and generally leads to immediate assistance in the form of food, cash, temporary accommodations, etc. Oftentimes, the Society encounters a client with a financial need much larger than can be met by the local conference’s limited resources. In these cases, the St. Thomas More conference seeks so-called “twinning” assistance from conferences at other parishes and from the Fall River District of St. Vincent de Paul. Such cases usually involve situations where folks have fallen far behind on their rent or on their utility bills because of loss of job or health problems or other issues.

The St. Thomas More conference also operates a small food pantry that, on average, distributes 300-350 bags of groceries annually to Society clients. In addition, the Society sponsors school supply drives, clothing drives, and a variety of other special projects each year.

The members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society meet once a month at the church. For a small investment of your time, you could reap a large reward in personal fulfillment. The Society is always looking for new members. Come and join them in “Helping Those in Need.”